President Obama Speaks on the Recovery of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

AU, Somali Troops Free 30 Hostages Held By Shabaab

Juba Administration forces. African Union (A.U.) and Somali troops on Friday managed to rescue 30 men and women who had been taken hostage earlier in the day by Al Shabaab militants, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) has confirmed. Women seen weeping and hugging as they welcome one of the rescued woman hostages in Kismayu. The women were kidnapped by alshabaab fighters on 30th May 2014 but were rescued later in the day in a daring operation involving around 200 Interim Juba Administration forces (IJA) aided by AMISOM Kenya Defence Forces air surveillance capability. AMISOM Public Information Services / RAMADAN MOHAMED

African Union (A.U.) and Somali troops on Friday managed to rescue 30 men and women who had been taken hostage earlier in the day by Al-Shabaab militants, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) has confirmed.  The hostages were mostly vendors kidnapped Friday morning from Bar Aleen village near southern Somalia'sport city of Kismayo. "Today evening, there was joy and happiness in Kismayu after 30 men and women who were kidnapped earlier by Al-Shabaab terrorists were rescued," Mahamat Saleh Annadif, special representative of the chairperson of the A.U. Commission for Somalia, said in a statement. Annadif attributed the rescue mission's success to "good coordination… between AMISOM forces stationed there and the Interim Juba Administration forces.""We wish to congratulate the forces for the good work and to reaffirm our commitment to helping the Somalia people," he said. Local media had reported that Al-Shabaab militants had tried to sneak the hostages out of the village to Jilib, a town that is under the militant group's control. "AMISOM Forces in Kismayu, working closely with the Interim Juba Administration forces, immediately dispatched a specialized team to track the kidnaper's movements in the sky, sharing critical information with the ground forces sent to track and rescue the hostages," the statement read. The statement did not, however, provide details as to how the forces had managed to rescue the 30 hostages or if any fighting had ensued."We condemn such heinous acts of kidnapping aimed at creating fear and denying the Somalis the freedom and opportunity to work and walk freely in their own country," the statement read. "We wish to remind the terrorists that their wicked plots will be defeated, just like today," it added.Although the militant group lost most of its strongholds after AMISOM troops were deployed to Somalia in 2007, it continues to carry out attacks on Somali government officials and foreign troops. Last week, ten people were killed when Al-Shabaab militants attacked the Somali parliament in Mogadishu.

SOMALIA: Al-Shabab Raids Village, at least 39 Dead

Nearly 40 people are dead after al-Shabab militants attacked a village on the border between Ethiopia and Somalia.

The governor of Somalia’s Bakool region, Mohamed Abdi Tall, told VOA that the Islamist militant group raided the village of Aato early Tuesday.

He said 27 pro-government militiamen and 12 al-Shabab fighters were killed in the ensuing clash.

Afterward, the town remained in control of the militias, who have been working with governments on both sides of the border

Al-Qaida-linked Al-Shabab has lost most of the territory it once controlled in Somalia but remains a threat to the country’s African Union-backed government.

On Saturday, al-Shabab fighters stormed Somalia’s parliament building in Mogadishu, killing 10 security personnel and wounding four lawmakers. Eight militants were also killed.

In February, al-Shabab attacked the presidential palace. The president was unharmed but at least 17 other people were killed.

Source: VOA News

United Nations News Centre - UN and international partners call for resolution of Somali political crisis

27 May 2014 – The United Nations, the European Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today issued a joint appeal for a resolution of the political crisis in Somalia, adding that they stand ready to hold to account anyone who poses an obstacle to progress in the Horn of Africa nation.

“Ongoing political instability does not serve the interests of Somalia or its people. Somalia cannot afford a return to the cycle of deadlock and infighting between political actors that paralysed governments since 2000,” said a joint statement issued by the three partners.

They noted that the development of a federal system, the constitutional review process and preparation for 2016 elections are behind schedule.

“The Constitution sets out clear roles and tasks for all Federal institutions, including Parliament, the Executive and the Presidency. Somalia needs continuity and stability. But it also needs faster and greater delivery by all,” they stated.

The statement called on the Executive, led by Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, to take “timely and decisive” action to create greater national unity, improve security and expedite progress on federalism, the constitution and elections.

“International partners stand ready to support all moves that will enhance peacebuilding and state-building and to hold to account anyone who poses an obstacle to such progress,” it added.

The statement comes in the wake of the 24 May attack on the Somali Federal Parliament by the militant group known as Al-Shabaab, which had also claimed responsibility for killing two parliamentarians in Mogadishu in less than 48 hours last month.

The UN, EU and IGAD said Saturday’s attack shows the need to redouble efforts towards peace and state-building in Somalia.

Briefing the Security Council last week, Nicholas Kay, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), noted that while the new Government has injected fresh momentum, progress on state-building has not been as fast as needed.

He recalled that when he last briefed the Council in March, the Federal Government was close to finalizing a detailed blueprint for building a Federal Somalia, revising and implementing the constitution, and preparing for elections in 2016. “Unfortunately, this critical plan, with timelines and benchmarks, remains pending,” he stated.

United Nations News Centre - UN and international partners call for resolution of Somali political crisis

Djibouti-based troops restricted to base following bombing - Stripes

STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. military personnel at Camp Lemonnier are locked down following a fatal bombing Saturday at a restaurant frequented by westerners in Djibouti, the strategic Horn of Africa nation that borders Somalia.

No U.S. personnel were among the dead or injured, but, as a precaution, troops have been restricted to base, the U.S. military's Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa said.

"At this point, any kind of liberty has been called off," said 1st Lt. Miranda Summers-Lowe, a spokeswoman with the task force.

Official business is continuing, but off-post missions are being carefully considered to ensure necessary precautions are taken, Summers-Lowe added.

"People are our most important asset and following the events of last weekend CJTF-HOA has increased security measures as appropriate and will continue to assess the situation in order to protect our personnel," Summers-Lowe said by email.

Three civilians were killed and scores of others were injured in the attack, including some military assigned to the European Union's counter-piracy mission, according to multiple media reports.

It was not immediately clear who was responsiblefor the bombing, and there were conflicting accounts of what transpired.

The Djiboutian news agency ADI reported that three people died and 15 were wounded in an attack carried out by two Somali suicide bombers. Other media, however, reported that the attack appeared to have involved grenades and may not have been a suicide bombing.

Al-Shabab, the notorious Somalia-based terror group that has long sought to impose a harsh form of Islam on the country, is the prime terror group in the broader region. So far, it has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Since 2001, Camp Lemonnier has served as the U.S. military's main operational hub on the continent with a special focus on security matters around the Horn of Africa. In all, about 4,000 U.S. personnel are stationed in Djibouti, where the military compound has been under rapid expansion. Earlier this month, the U.S. reached a long-term security deal that ensures the military access to Camp Lemonnier for at least another 10 years.

Though Djibouti shares a border with volatile Somalia, it has not been prone to the types of large-scale attacks that have hit other countries in the region, most notably the assault by gunmen on a mall in Kenya last year that killed more than 60 people. Following that attack, U.S. personnel more than 1,000 miles away in Djibouti were restricted to base for several months as a precaution.

"We will apply the lessons that we've learned from other attacks in the area to make informed policies, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach to protecting our people," Summers-Lowe said. "We will work together with our local partners to evaluate when conditions will allow for off-post liberty."

Al-Shabab, which is believed to have executed the Kenya attack, also is blamed for a similar attack in Uganda in 2010. Both Kenya and Uganda have played a large role in military missions in Somalia aimed at rooting out the insurgent group.

Djibouti also has been a troop contributor to the African Union-led mission in Somalia.

In addition, the country has been a long-time host to western militaries. France and theU.S. have the largest presence, but several other nations routinely have troops stationed in the country. Italy, for example, is in the midst of constructing an outpost roughly five miles from the Somalia border.

After the Saturday attack on the restaurant, the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti warned Americans to avoid places frequented by Westerners.

"The U.S. Embassy has advised members of our staff to limit their movements and exercise heightened security measures at this time," the embassy stated on its website. "U.S. citizens are advised to do the same; limit movements, avoid areas frequented by Westerners, implement additional personal security measures and review personal crisis response plans."

Added Summers-Lowe: "We're hearing this is the biggest (attack) to happen in Djibouti since its independence (in 1977).

Djibouti-based troops restricted to base following bombing - Stripes

Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked claim Djibouti attack

Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a weekend bomb attack on a Djibouti restaurant packed with Westerners.

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"As part of the ongoing Jihad against the Western-led Crusade against Islam, Harakat Al-Shabaab Al Mujahideen forces have on Saturday night carried out a successful operation against the coalition of Western Crusaders based in Djibouti," the group said in a statement.

The group said the attack "targeted a restaurant frequented predominantly by French Crusaders and their NATO allies from the US, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, resulting in 35 casualties".

"The attack was carried out against the French Crusaders for their complicity in the massacres and persecution of our Muslim brothers in the Central African Republic and for their active role in training and equipping the apostate Djiboutian troops in Somalia and their growing intervention in the affairs of our Muslim lands," the Shebab statement said.

Local officials said three people -- a Turkish national and two suicide bombers, one of them a woman -- died in the attack, although the Shebab statement claimed that two "senior French commanders" were also killed.

The group said the attack was carried out in retaliation for Djibouti's hosting of the United States' biggest military base in Africa. The US base is used for operations across the region, including drone strikes against the Islamists in Somalia.

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Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh (L) and US President Barack Obama shake hands on May 5, 2014  …

Troops from Djibouti are also part of the African Union force in Somalia fighting the Shebab.

"Having assented to the terms of the contract in the war against Islam with Barack Obama and having allowed access of your land and facilities to the Crusaders, you have voluntarily signed a deal with the devil," the statement said in a message directed at Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

"This attack is just the beginning; it's merely the preliminary response and what will soon follow -- should you refuse to desist -- will be far worse," it warned, calling on Djibouti to "pull your apostate troops out of Somalia immediately and expel all the Crusaders".

"Failure to do so would incur far-reaching repercussions for your country, both in terms of your security and economy," it added.

Shebab also urged ordinary Djiboutians to "stay well away from the Crusaders as they are the main target", and to "refrain from socialising with them or visiting their facilities and attending their gatherings for your own safety".

In a message to the "crusaders", the statement said: "You will not continue to enjoy the sun in Djibouti while you bury our children under tonnes of rubble and while you continue to persecute innocent Muslims in every corner of the world."

Al-Qaida's East African wing Al-shabaab kill Turkish man in attack in Mogadishu, Turkish Airlines official shot dead in Somali capital

Chief Security Officer of Turkish Airlines in Mogadishu Saadettin Doğan shot dead

A Turkish man was shot dead on Tuesday in Mogadishu when  Al-Qaida's East African wing gunmen attacked the car he was traveling in with a senior manager from Turkish Airlines, a spokeswomanfor the national carrier said.

Saadettin Dogan, security chief at a company providing services to Turkish Airlines, died after suffering a head wound, the spokeswoman said.

An official at Turkey's Foreign Ministry also confirmed the death of a Turkish national in what was the second attack targeting Turks in Mogadishu in less than a year.

In July 2013, a car loaded with explosives rammed into an office housing Turkish embassystaff in the Somali capital, killing three people. The attack was claimed by Islamist al Shabaab rebels.

Somalia is attempting to rebuild itself after two decades of civil war and lawlessness, triggered by the overthrow of president Siad Barre in 1991.

The fragile government is being backed by international aid aimed at preventing it from becoming a haven for al Qaeda-style militants in east Africa.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan became the first non-African leader to visit Somalia in nearly 20 years when he traveled there in 2011.

Turkey is a key ally of the Somali government. It was 

Norway: 3 arrested for links to terror group

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Norway's security service says three men with alleged links to an al-Qaida splinter group have been arrested on preliminary charges of supporting or participating in a terror organization.

The PST security service said Tuesday the three suspects are Norwegian citizens aged 29, 27 and 24. The oldest was born in Somalia and the other two were born in the former Yugoslavia.

PST said two of the suspects have been fighting for the jihadist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is fighting in Syria.

The agency said the three were arrested "to prevent additional support or adherence to ISIL," which is considered as a terrorist organization under Norwegian law.

PST earlier this year said about 40-50 people have left Norway to join militant Islamist groups in Syria.

White widow Samantha Lewthwaite marries Al-Shabaab chief, her third husband (Shabaab chief)

White Widow Samantha Lewthwaite Re-Marries – Ties The Knot With Radical al-Shabaab Leader

Wanted terror suspect Samantha Lewthwaite, known as the 'white widow' has married al-Shabaab chief Sheikh Hassan in a bid to strengthen her terror contacts and earn protection, according to a report 

In the report, intelligence sources claim the British born fugitive tied the knot with suspected warlord Hassan Maalim Ibrahim, also known as Sheikh Hassan who is a senior commander in the terror group which has been at war with Kenya.

The marriage, the report further says, is the white widow's third and means she will be offered better ­protection by her new husband’s heavily-armed group.Lewthwaite is wanted by Kenya and major security agencies, for her role in several incidences in the country and abroad including the Westgate Mall attack which left 67 people dead.

Kenya's security agencies had even suggested that she personally took part in the Westgate attacks though that link was later rubbished.She is also accused of organizing several other terror plots in the continent including a recent one in Abuja Nigeria which killed over 60 people at a major bus station.It is understood that Lewthwaite and Hassan now reside in the remote village of Nasable, 25 miles from the south central Somali city of Baidoa.

She has also previously been spotted in Mombasa, where she was believed to have been living with her children borne with London bombing architect Germaine Lindsay and was also believed to be married to former Kenyan naval officer turned terrorist Abdi Wahid...the other big  Interracial wedding .

The New York Post’s Hilarious Kim and Kanye Wedding Announcement is The Only One You Really 

Somali PM visits the victims of Somali parliament attack at hospital

Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has on Sunday paid a visit to Medina Hospital where some of those injured on Saturday’s Al Shabaab attack on Somali parliament complex were admitted for further treatments.

After his visit to the hospital, the prime minister stated that those injured in the attack were recovering well from their injuries and he further wished them a very quick recovery.

He thanked the medical staff and the doctors at Medina Hospital for their quick and professional attention and promised that the government will be ready to assist the hospital officials should they need it.

Meanwhile, the Director of Medina Hospital, Dr. Mohamed Yusuf said that most of those admitted at the hospital were suffering from minor injuries except two individuals who need further treatments.

Djibouti says Somali pair suspected of bombing restaurant filled with Western military

(Reuters) - Djibouti's Interior Ministry said on Sunday that two Somalis are suspected of having carried out a suicide bombing at a restaurant filled with Western military personnel on Saturday that killed three and wounded at least 15.

Several members of European Union naval and civilian maritime security missions were among those wounded in the attack, including three members of the Spanish military airforce.

The interior ministry did not say if any group was suspected of being responsible for the bombings, the first time such an attack has been carried out in the tiny Red Sea state.

Djibouti, host to a French military base and the only U.S. military base in Africa, shares its southern border with Somalia where the al Qaeda-linked group Al Shabaab continues to flourish as the government struggles to impose any order.

Al Shabaab is active inside Somalia but has also carried out.,gun and bomb attacks abroad. Last year, the group killed 67 people at a Kenyan shopping mall.

"Early indications of the investigations show that the attackers were two suicide bombers of Somali origin; a man and a veiled woman," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

National security forces took over the restaurant premises and secured the area, the ministry said. The former French colony's port is used by foreign navies protecting the Gulf of Aden's shipping lanes, some of the busiest in the world, from Somali pirates.

The European Union said on Sunday that members of the EU naval mission EUNAVFOR Atalanta and civilian maritime security mission EUCAP Nestor were wounded in the bombing.

Spain's Defence Ministry said three Spanish military airforce personnel were injured in the attack, one of whom was seriously hurt by shrapnel. The three were in Djibouti as part of the EUNAVFOR Atalanta mission.

A U.S. Pentagon spokesman said late on Saturday no Defense Department personnel were injured in the attack, Djibouti has troops stationed in Somalia as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia.Somali troops and AMISOM - also comprising troops from Burundi, Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia - drove al Shabaab out of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, in 2011, but the group still carries out attacks in the city.

On Saturday, al Shabaab militants attacked the parliament, killing at least 10 security officers.

Security Council Press Statement On Terrorist Attack In Somalia

24 May 2014 - The members of the Security Council strongly condemn today's attack against the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Somalia, for which Al Shabaab has claimed responsibility and which has caused numerous deaths and injuries. The members of the Security Council extended their condolences to the families of the victims, the people and Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to AMISOM. They also wished a swift recovery to those injured.

The members of the Security Council paid tribute to the swift response of the Somali National Army and AMISOM in responding to this attack.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, wherever and whenever and by whomsoever committed.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with their responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Somali authorities in this regard.

The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

The members of the Security Council underscored their support to the Federal Government of Somalia. They are outraged that Al Shabaab has attacked the Federal Parliament, an institution which represents the Somali people and their legitimate hopes for peace, prosperity and stability.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support to all actors supporting efforts towards greater peace and stability in Somalia, including both UNSOM and AMISOM. They reiterated that this and other senseless acts of terrorism would not diminish that support.

Somali Prime Minister Abdiwali Sheekh Ahmed fired His National security minister on Saturday just hours after Al Shabaab armed militants launched a deadly attack at the Somali Parliament

Somali Prime Minister Abdiwali Sheekh Ahmed fired His National security minister on Saturday just hours after Al Shabaab armed militants launched a deadly attack at the Somali Parliament

Somalia’s National security minister, Abdikarim Hussein Guledemotional 'Face-saving' press conference

Somalia’s National security minister, Abdikarim Hussein Guled resigned on Saturday after being criticised for not doing enough to curb a surge of attacks carried by the Somali terrorist group al-Shabab.  

His resignation came shortly after armed militants launched a deadly attack at the Somali Parliament building in Mogadishu, causing the death of at least 10 people including government Soldiers.

Speaking to reporters late on Saturday evening, the minister accepted his critics and said that it was the right time for him to leave the post.

Members of the Federal parliament criticized the Minister for failing to handle the series of attacks that rocked the war-ravaged city, calling him for immediate resignation.

Insurgents often target lawmakers and some politicians complain that inadequate security leaves them vulnerable to attack.

Elsewhere, reports indicate that the Somali President- whom himself was asked by the MPs to step down is expected to reshuffle the top security department of the country.
The Somali government has struggled to control al-Shabab militants who are fighting to overthrow the weak government and bring Somalia under Shariah law.

Somalia Has Specific Blocks Whose Oil and Gas Potential Could Change World Energy Prices

A critical study of geological surveys on rock formations, oil sips, and tests on wells drilled by explorers by Strategic Intelligence Energy analysts shows a possibility of Somalia becoming one of the worlds biggest petroleum source.

The oil and gas potential in Somalia is significantly high and the problem lies in the insecurity sponsored by terrorists based in the country.

Exploration of oil and gas in Somalia started 60 years ago.

Our Energy Intelligence study team traces the exploration dates to early 1950′s.

The first oil and gas explorers in Somalia being Agip, an Italian explorer and Sinclair Oil Corporation, an American company.

The two firms studied the petroleum geology of Somalia. Their findings have set the pace for stiff competition for lucrative oil blocks bids by foreign multinationals.

Fewer firms have been lucky to acquire rights to specific oil blocks which the geologists and industry experts regard as the gold mine.

These blocks have been sought after by firms like BP Shell and Eni among other oil and gas explorers.

With the chances of a stable Somalia increasing, it will be interesting to see which company will succeed in drilling or acquiring these specific oil blocks.